Blaze destroys 1910 church in Stanwood

STANWOOD — A landmark that had overlooked this city for nearly a century was destroyed in a fire yesterday that sent smoke drifting for miles.

Only charred remains and part of a new staircase remained at the Lighthouse Christian Fellowship, as firefighters worked to extinguish the flames. Neighbors and other spectators gathered to watch the blaze.

"I was thankful there was nobody hurt," said Pastor Michael Tarsi. "The Lord is going to provide."

Tarsi said no one was in the church when the fire was reported around noon. Fire officials have not determined a cause.

The church stood on a hillside along Cedar Home Drive with a sweeping westerly view. Built in 1910 as the Zion Lutheran Church, it had been a city landmark for generations. A photograph of the three-story, white church with a wall of stained-glass windows appears in a book of local history, "The Stanwood Story."

"It was pioneers who went to church there," said Dave Eldridge, president of the Stanwood Area Historical Society. "It's where they were baptized and confirmed." Small churches provided much of the area's early identity, Eldridge said.

In later years, the church fell into disrepair and had been used as a rental residence until the Lighthouse Christian Fellowship moved in about five years ago.

"Oh, it was such a shambles, you couldn't go inside," Tarsi said.

But the congregation, which has 80 to 100 members, fixed it up as part of its rental agreement. Members invested countless hours and about $10,000 in restoring the structure, he said.

The fire also threatened a house next door that once had been a parsonage, said incident commander Rex Lindquist of Snohomish County Fire District 14, but firefighters were able to keep most of that building standing.

No damage estimates were available. Tarsi said the building and contents were insured.

The fellowship already has received offers of help, including one from the Stanwood Foursquare Church, which has offered a building as a meeting place, Tarsi said.

The fellowship might consider buying the site of its former church and rebuilding, he added.

"We're still a church. That's just a shell. This can be replaced," said Lawrence McLamb, a deacon who left early from a painting job in the Smokey Point area when he heard about the fire.

"I painted that whole church, and my first thought was I won't have to paint it again," said McLamb, with a small smile. "This is devastating, but we'll move on."

Neighbors also lamented the loss, noting the destruction will leave a considerable gap in the landscape.

"It's sad to see this building go. It had been there for a long time," said Michelle Nieman, who saw the smoke and came to view the fire with her sons, Tucker, 11, and Tanner, 8, who are on spring break.

"It was neat to drive up this old brick road and see that beautiful old church," she said.

Peyton Whitely: 206-464-2259 or pwhitely@seattletimes.com